Line stop for typographical casting machines



Dec. 18, 1956 c. G. lNGLlSH LINE STOP FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1953 Dec. 18, 1956 c. e. INGLISH 2,774,465

LINE STOP FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINES Filed July. 17. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 3 C6. fvaz/sry BY Wm,

Mall KM ATTO NEY5.

Dec. 18, 1956 c. e. INGLISH LINE STOP FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 17-, 1953 MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent LINE STOP FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHN ES Charles G. Inglish, Corpus Christi, Tex., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application July 17, 1953, Serial No. 368,758

8 Claims. (Cl. 199-49) This invention relates to typographical casting machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler, No. 43 6,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then composed in line in a vertically movable assembler. After composition of the line, the assembler is raised and the line transferred therefrom into a vertically movable transporter, or so-called first elevator, which thereupon descends to position the line between a pair of vise jaws which clamp and hold the line in front of a mold for the casting of the type bar or slug. After the slug casting operation, the transporter rises to its uppermost level and the matrices are transferred to a so-called second elevator for delivery to the distributing mechanism, by which the matrices are separated and returned to the magazine from whence they started.

When received by the first elevator, the composed matrix line is confined endwise between a so-called line stop, carried by the first elevator, and a pair of retaining pawls located at the receiving end of the elevator, the line stop being adapted and arranged to prevent twisting or displacement of the leading matrix in the composed line and the retaining pawls being adapted and arranged to prevent twisting or displacement of the last or terminal matrix in the composed line.

The line stop normally occupies a position to the ex treme right of the first elevator'so as to engage the leading matrix of the composed line as the latter enters the first elevator, the composed line pushing the line stop to the left for a distance corresponding to the length of the line. Later, when the composed line is removed from the first elevator, the line stop is restored automatically to its initial or line receiving position. It is in this way that the line stop automatically accommodates itself to lines of different length, functioning always to give support to the leading matrix of the line.

The most improved line stop now in use is the one shown in the Mead Patent No. 2,121,975, dated June 28, 1938. As therein shown and described, the line stop comprises a pair of parallel rails slidably arranged in the matrix grooves of the first elevator, these rails being formed on their upper edges with ribs which slide in the spaceband grooves of the first elevator. The rightward ends of the rails are, of course, arranged in transverse alignment and constitute abutments for contact with the leading matrix of'the composed line. At their leftward ends, the two rails are connected by a bridge plate which causes them to move in unison and which exerts a separating force upon the rails to hold them in frictional engagement with the matrix and spaceband grooves as the line stop is pushed to the left by the composed line as it enters the first elevator. It is this frictional engagement which is relied upon to allow the line stop to accommodate itself automatically to lines of different lengths.

As also shown and described in the Mead patent, the two side rails are also provided along their upper edges with spring plates which contact with the upper walls of Patented Dec. 18, 19 56 the spaceband grooves and thus exert a further braking influence upon the line stop in its receding movements;

The manufacture of the foregoing line stop is quite costly, requiring at least ten different machining operations to produce it. Moreover, the performance of the line stop in actual use has not been entirely satisfactory. For example, after a certain period of use, the line stop ioses its frictional drag and oftentimes overruns its proper line supporting position. This is especially true in machines equipped with quadding and centering devices, wherein the right hand jaw, when moved to the left for quadding or centering, exerts a sharp propelling influence upon the line and through it the line stop. Moreover, it not infrequently happens that the line stop will fall out of position altogether, due to the loss of tension exerted by the connecting plate.

The present invention is directed to an improved line stop and one which may not only be manufactured at low cost, but one which gives more satisfactory performance in use. In the specific embodiment illustrated, the improved line stop comprises a pair of thin and narrow abutment plates shaped and spaced for sliding movement in the matrix grooves of the first elevator and an elongated spring wire element which is arranged to slide in the spaceband grooves of the first elevator, this U-shaped wire element having the free ends of its two leg portions united to the abutment plates and its bent or loop connecting portion being tensioned to exert the desired frictional engagement with the matrix grooves. The improved line stop is also provided with an actuating plate, which may be united with one of its leg portions, for automatic return to itsinitial position when the composed line is removed from the first elevaton The two abutment plates and the actuating plate may be separately manufactured and then welded to the wire element, which latter may consist of a straight round wire bent into U form, leaving a curved or loop connecting portion which produces the desired tension. It has been found that such a wire element will retain a set resiliency for much longer periods than possible With the old form of line stop and, moreover, permits the tension to be varied to suit dififerent conditions by bending the wire by hand at the closed or loop end.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of a typographical.

casting machine equipped with the improved line stop;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, with portions broken away, of the upper line transfer slide which removes the composed line from the first elevator after the casting operation;

Fig. 3 is an end view, looking from the left, of the parts showninFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the improved line stop, taken at the entrance end of the first elevator;

Figs. 5 and 6 are top plan and side views of the improved line stop; i

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the improved line stop in modified form to cooperate with an upper transfer slide of a different form;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the modified form of line stop as it appears mounted in the first elevator.

In the operation of a Linotype machine the matrices X and spacebands Y are'released from their respective magazines by the manipulation of a keyboard (not shown), and are composed in line in the usual manner in an assembler A. After the line has been composed, the assembler is raised to position the line between a pair of depending fingers B and C of a line delivery slide D which, thereupon, transfers the line through an intermediate channel E into a .vertically movable line transporter or first elevator F. Q, As the line delivery carriage shown-in Fig. 9 and designated H. .As before explained;

the leadingtmatrix-of' the composed line will beheld up? right; by -c,onta ct-with the line stop while the end or ter-'.

minal. matrix of r the line 'will' be 'maintained upright by the. pawlsj H.

I After thecomposedline' has been transferred into the first'elevator- F, the latter descends to position the: line between a=pair of vise' jaws I and- J preparatory to'the casting operation. Afterthezslug is cast, the first elevatorsrises to itsuppermost'positiomas shown in Fig. 2, the line'stop' and the retaining pawlsmeanwhile acting tional drag will also be exerted by the slidable engage; ment of the leg portions 7* in the spaceband grooves. As can readily be understood, the spring wire element will retain its resilient properties for a long period of time but if and when it becomes necessary to alter the fric-' tional drag, this may be accomplished by manipulating the bent or looped portion 7 In Fig. l, the improved linestop is shown by thefull linesin'its normal line receiving position and by'the dotted. lines in its retracted or. line supporting..position.;

in Fig. 2, the line stop is. shown as havingsbeen restored to its normal line receiving position by the transfer-"of the composed line, fromthe first elevator into-the; upper to-prevene displacement ofthe matrices at the opposite end of the line. As the first elevator reaches its uppermostp'osition, areciprocatory transfer slide K'removes the linetherefrom and deliversit into an upper transfer channel-L. During such transfer the matrices. of the composed'line-are threaded onto a ribbed bar M of a so-called second elevator, while the-spacebands remain supported .in the upper transfer channel for return to their storage magazine N. After the removal of the line therefrom, the firstelevator returns to its original line receiving position asshown in Fig. 1.

All of the foregoing parts and their mode1of operation are or may be 'thesame' as embodied in the commercial Linotype machine and require no further ex-' planation. p

' It-may here be pointed out that the front and back jaws 1 and'Z of the first elevator F (see Fig. 4) are formed withgopposed grooves SWhich receive and give support to the matrices X by their upper projecting ears,

aswell as with opposed grooves 4 which receive and give transfer channel.

The form of the line stop showninFigs. 7 and 8 differs from that above described only in respect to the form and location of the return plate. This plate, as

shown.- in Fig. 9, is. formed integrally with .thezrealtabutr ment. plate 6, risingtherefromin the. form of .a-hook 110 slidably" engaged in a groove 11. formed.in,the upper edge. of the. rear elevatorjaw 2. This hook-shaped re-' turn'plate 10 is positioned to beengaged bya pusher K carried by the upper transfer-slide K. a

. In some'machines, the upper transfer slide is of. the

form shown in Figs. 1 to -6 and in other machines of-the form shown in Figs. 7 to 9. This .will' explaintheneed for two diiferent forms of the improved linestopj 'It will now be appreciated-that the improved line stop may be manufactured at a fraction ofthe cost of any of the prior art line stops, that it will possess a-muchlonger life in'service, and that its behavior will be'more-satisfactory notwithstanding its simplified form.

The details of the invention may bechanged without departing from the spirit of the invention, and hence it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form of embodimentexcept'insofar as such limitations are specified inthe appended claims.

support to the spacebands by their narrower upper ears, 1

all in the customary way.

Referring now to the improved line stop, reference is first made to the form shown in Figs. 1' to 6. It comprises basically four elements, namely, two narrow and .thin abutment plates 5 and .6, an elongated U-shaped spring wire element 7, and a long and thin actuating return plate 8'. The two abutment plates are. shaped and arranged to fit slidably in. the matrix grooves 3 of the firstelevator, While the U-shaped spring element is shaped.

and arranged to fit slidably in the spaceband grooves 4, all as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The actuating plate- 8, like the abutment plate 6, is shaped and arranged to fit slidably in the matrix groove formed in the rear elevator. jaw 2 (see Fig. 2). The wire element is made from a straight piece of round wire, being intermediately bent. or looped at 7 to provide two long and parallel leg portions 7*. At their free ends the tWoleg portio'nsfl? are united, as by welding, .tothe outer faces 10f the abutment plates 5 and 6, and the rear leg; portion. is

similarly united to the actuating plate 8', which latter it may be noted presents a lower leftward extension 8 for engagement with the 'pusher K attachedto the; upper transfer slide K. e

Y e improved line stop may be inserted into the first elevator from the left in the usual way, a stop 9- on the rear elevator jaw; 2 (see Figs. 1 and. 2),: by engagement with the extension 8? of the return plate .8,=locating the abutment plates Sand 6 at the entrance end. of the .first elevator in position tocontact the leading. matrix; of a composed line as it is ti'a nsferred into the elevator by the line deliverycarriageD. The bent or looped portion- 7 of'the wire elemen'tmay be" tensioned orjstressed to exert whateverseparating force. may be necessary to' produce,thedesiredffrictional; drag. upon thee-abutment plates as they. are pushedi'a'head; or to the left' -in the matrix grooves. lay-the entering line.-

additional fric- .What is claimed is: a 7

1.. A hne stop for the first elevator or line transporter of a typographical casting machine, said transporterbe ing formed in its opposite'side walls with a-pairofopposed horizontally disposed matrix supporting grooves as well as with a distinct pair of opposed horiz'ontallydi'sposed spaceband supporting grooves, which spaceband.

supporting grooves are of less Verticalheight and are more.

widely spaced apart than the matrix supporting grooves but are located within the vertical-limits of said grooves,

characterized in that said line stop comprises an elongated, U-shaped resilient member shaped and spaced fora slid;-

ing movement in the spaceband supporting grooves, and a 1 pair of thin and narrow abutmentplates shaped and spaced for a sliding movement in the matrix supporting grooves, said abutment plates being made separate from but-united to the two leg portions of the'U-shaped resilient'member at its openend; and said U-shaped resilient member-being stressed at its closed end to exert a separatingforce'upon its two leg portions when thelinestop is inserted into the linetransporter and thus to hold'the abutment plates under lateral pressure in frictional face contact-with the vertical walls of the matrix supporting grooves for braking p p e 2. A line stop according toclaim 1, wherein the-separating force exerted upon the two leg-portionsbfthe U -shaped resihent member when the; line stopisiinserted into the line transporter also holds said leg portionsunder lateral" pressure in frictional contact with the vertical .walls of the spaceband supporting grooves 'for additional braking purposes. a

p 3. A line stop according to claim; l wherein -the U- shaped resilient member isconstituted by'a long'sp1:ing I wire bent or looped intoU-form and with'the twoleg portioris united to the outer faces of'the abutment plates;

7 4. A' line stop" according to claim 1" comprising; as an additional element, an actuating plateshapedspao'ed for a sliding movement in one of the matrix-supporting 5 grooves, said plate being made separate from but united along its outer face to one of the leg portions of the U- shaped resilient member.

5. A line stop according to claim 4, wherein said actuating plate forms part of one of the abutment plates at the free open end of the U-shaped resilient member.

6. A line stop according to claim 4, wherein said actuating plate is united to the leg portion of the U-shaped resilient member in the region of its closed end and extends outwardly beyond the same.

7. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of a first elevator or line transporter formed in its opposite side walls with a pair of opposed horizontally disposed matrix supporting grooves as well as with a distinct pair of opposed horizontally disposed spaceband supporting grooves, which spaceband supporting grooves are of less vertical height and are more widely spaced apart than the matrix supporting grooves but are located within the vertical limits of said matrix supporting grooves, means for delivering the composed line of matrices and spacebands into the transporter and means for subsequently removing the composed line from the transporter, and a line stop mounted in the transporter and normally positioned in the path of the incoming line and adapted to be returned automatically to its initial position by the line removing means, said stop comprising an elongated U-shaped resilient member shaped for a sliding movement in the spaceband supporting grooves, and a pair of thin and narrow abutment plates shaped and spaced for a sliding movement in the matrix supporting grooves, said abutment plates being made separate from but united to the two leg portions of the U-shaped resilient member at its open end, and said U-shaped resilient member being stressed at its closed end to exert a separating force upon its two leg portions and thus hold the abutment plates under lateral pressure in frictional face contact with the vertical walls of the matrix supporting grooves for braking purposes.

8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein the line stop also comprises an actuating plate made separate from but united to one of the leg portions of the U-shaped resilient member and arranged to be engaged by a part of the line removing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,447 Hohenberger July 2, 1912 1,108,825 Armstrong Aug. 25, 1914 1,392,792 Pierson Oct. 4, 1921 2,121,975 Mead June 28, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 412,999 Great Britain July 9, 1934 

